Image source: Artek — Armchair 42
© Artek and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research.
Armchair 42
Alvar Aalto's cantilevered "Small Paimio" armchair in birch and plywood, dated 1932
600 × 720 × 750 mm
1932
Finland
Approx. $3,100 (reference price; varies by region and retailer)
Official product information
INTEBEE AI PUBLIC LIBRARY is an independent furniture design research and discovery platform. Product specifications, finishes, availability and other details may change. For current and definitive information, please refer to the manufacturer's official website.
Go to the official product pageSpecifying Armchair 42 for your design project?
INTEBEE is the FF&E specification platform for interior designers: spec sheets, finishes, floor plans and client-ready PDFs in one place.
Description
Overview
Armchair 42, nicknamed "Small Paimio", is Alvar Aalto's cantilevered armchair, dated 1932 on Artek's page. Laminated birch forms the frame, and the seat and back are a single piece of form-pressed plywood.
Image source: Artek — Armchair 42 · © Artek and the respective rights holders. Quoted to accompany INTEBEE's independent design commentary and research. · View official product page ↗ · Image use & copyright policy
Construction
The seat shell is lacquered in black or white; the frame is clear-lacquered birch.
Specifications
- Width: 60 cm; depth: 75 cm; height: 72 cm (read by position, not labelled on the drawing)
- Frame: form-bent solid birch lamella; seat shell: form-pressed birch plywood
- Versions: black or white seat shell
- Origin: Finland
Story
For Paimio
Artek's page says Aalto designed Armchair 42 for the Paimio Sanatorium in 1932, and calls it "Small Paimio". The factsheet gives the design years as 1931-32 and describes the build in English as natural-lacquered birch armrests with a bent birch plywood seat shell.
Two nicknames
Artek's archive page adds the nickname "spring chair", drawn from the thin but solid birch frame that gives flexible comfort.
More by Alvar Aalto
Chair 611
Alvar Aalto's stackable birch chair with a linen webbing seat and back, dated 1929
Armchair 402
Alvar Aalto's cantilever armchair with a cushioned seat, shown at Milan in 1933
Chair 65
Alvar Aalto's low-backed birch chair with a round seat, dated 1935
Lounge Chair 43
Alvar Aalto's cantilevered birch lounge chair with linen webbing, dated 1937